A Lot To Smile About
by Relatable Alien
Summary: AU: Jean-Luc and Beverly are married with a son. One scene. Star Trek TNG owned by Paramount. (prequel: A New Flame Ignited)


Beverly Picard looked into the smiling face of her contentedly sleeping baby boy. Already he had a tuft of brown hair sticking up from his head. She'd seen similar hair years before, on her husband. That was before he'd lost most of it in mid-adulthood. And before their paths had crossed once more.

Jean-Luc Picard watched carefully from the doorway, unbeknownst to the mother and baby on the sofa. _She's such a good mother... _he thought, smiling to himself. _And such a wonderful wife. _"Hello," he said softly, not wanting to wake the sleeping child. Beverly looked up immediately, her eyes lighting up even brighter, impossible you'd have thought from the way she looked at her son.

"Jean-Luc," she smiled happily. He came over to the sofa, sitting beside her. He peeked into the bundle held in her arms. "He's just had his dinner." Beverly informed him. "I think it's about time we had ours, don't you think?"

"Of course," he leaned over and kissed her gently. She kissed back, careful not to disturb the baby. "What would you like Beverly?" Staring into his eyes she considered her options.

"My grandmother's vegetable soup," she decided swiftly. "The recipe is programmed in the replicator." He kissed her cheek delicately, getting up to prepare their meal. When he had finished, Beverly had laid down their baby in his crib. "That smells delicious!" she exclaimed, sitting down at the table. Not realising until then how ravenous she'd been, it wasn't long before the bowl was empty.

"Would you like seconds?" Jean-Luc asked, blowing on his spoon to cool the liquid further.

"Perhaps a little later," Beverly smiled fondly at him. _I'm smiling a lot_, she reasoned. _I guess I have a lot to smile_ _about. _

"How are you feeling?" Jean-Luc asked. Her body had been through a lot that week. As her husband, it was his job to make sure she didn't run herself into the ground. Already he'd organised both their leave. Unfortunately an urgent matter had dragged him away that afternoon, but he wouldn't let it happen again and ruin the start of their new family.

"Exhausted," she sighed, reaching a hand across the table to grasp his. "I'm glad they didn't keep you long. It's not often I get to have you all to myself."

"Perhaps we'll have to make not often more often?" he teased.

When he finished his soup, the two of them sat down on the couch together, Beverly lying with her head on his shoulder, held in the protective grasp of his arm.

"I can still remember your face the day I told you," she murmured, falling asleep against him.

"Hm?" she'd caught him off-guard.

"When I told you I was pregnant," she explained, pausing to yawn. "You went so pale, I thought you might faint. It was a good thing you were sitting down."

"It was just unexpected," he whispered, kissing the top of her head, enjoying the feeling of her hair tickling his nose. It didn't have it's usual scented smell. Instead, it was much more natural, much more Beverly. "I promise you, I couldn't be happier." She tilted her head up and back to look into his eyes. A smile lit across both their faces. She twisted in his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Neither could I," she agreed, their foreheads touching. They breathed in each other's scent slowly, closing their eyes and savoring the moment. His had the faintest hints of the cologne he'd put on that morning. Hers reminded him of a picnic they'd had during their honeymoon. Another yawn from her interrupted his thoughts.

"Time for bed," he announced, lifting her in his strong arms. She curled up against him, giggling. He carried her through to their quarters, laying her gently down on their large bed.

"You're forgetting someone," she teased him, getting up and collecting their son into her arms. She brought him over and laid him in the co-sleeper. He didn't bat an eyelid. _Peaceful sleeper. That's a first. _Jean-Luc wrapped her in his arms, holding their bodies close together. She couldn't help but fall asleep besides her son and the man she loved most in all the universe.


End file.
